03--video

[shatterings]

[ If you've spoken to Naminé before, you might notice she looks far more at ease now. Being around people who actually like her and mean her no harm has done wonders for her, and there's even a small, content smile there. She's sitting cross-legged on the floor, and in her lap is a Chikorita.

Making sure not to disrupt the sleeping Pokémon, she holds up a (probably familiar) feather. ]

... Is it normal to have things like these floating around? They're beautiful, but... I'm not sure what their use is.

Comments

[Private Video]

[shatterings]

A... a little bit.

[Private Video]

[bylight]

I'm sorry... I'll send Hope then.

[shatterings]

[ She takes a moment before replying. Ever careful with her words, this one. ] Well... I think they got excited, because... [ And this? Their behavior? It's different, yes, but Naminé cherishes it. ] ... They want to see me happy, I think. [ There's a lot more to that than Naminé lets on. Divulging her past wasn't ever something she'd considered, mostly because... she's afraid. ] They're really very wonderful.

... Make people happy? [ Ah. Well. ] I... I can try to do that. [ There's a lot of hesitance there. A lack of confidence. ]

You would? I'm glad. Thank you, Rise.

[Private Video]

[shatterings]

Oh... please don't apologize, Light... I'm sorry. Thank you... again.

[Private Video]

[bylight]

... If there's anything you need, you know how to reach me, alright?

[She doesn't want to end the conversation. She doesn't know when she'll see her dear friend again.]

[dangerousidol]

... I don't mind Xion, because she's nice and has Kawa. But the other two, especially that girl who is clearly not your sister... they could have been nicer! [She's pouting, but it's not a serious pout. More a pout out of jealousy. Would things be different if she had siblings? She had her Ni-chan... but he wasn't blood.] Being happy is good, but don't forget you're your own person, okay?

It's hard, I won't lie, but the smiling faces makes it worth it! [She'll tell her about the stalkers and fans later.]

You don't have to thank me! I'm glad you want to be my friend! [Finally! Another female friend. That makes... two? Nami gets a happy smile.]

[Private Video]

[shatterings]

... Okay. Thank you, Lightning.

[ Honestly, she's reluctant to say goodbye. Lightning's a lot busier than she is, after all, and she's not sure if her schedule will allow much contact. ]

[shatterings]

They're very... enthusiastic. [ That's the best word to sum them up. Rise's words--you're your own person--catch her off guard, and she's speechless for a while. Naminé knows, really, she's not her own person. She might have a heart, but having a heart doesn't change who she is. ] ... Okay.

You must be very good at it. [ She can tell Rise genuinely loves what she does. And that has Naminé wondering... if she finds it difficult to smile herself, how will she make others smile? ]

Don't... you have a lot of people who do?

[Private Video]

[bylight]

[She was going to hang up. She was set to do it. Vanille decided otherwise, waking from her nap and hearing the voice of one of her favorite people. There's a loud bleat and yellow wool in the screen now, with a cursing Lighting in the background. Vanille wants to say hi to her friend. Hi!]

[dangerousidol]

Good! It's okay to do things that don't involve them! Like making friends! That should be up to you, not them. Like with Pokémon, too.

[Fake smiling and real smiles are different if you're a molded idol. But Rise doesn't want to do that anymore. Her smiles are genuine.] I hope so! Else I wouldn't have so many fans~

Eh? Hm... I have my friends at home... and I have you and two others I would actually call 'friend'. I mostly have guys talking to me who think I'm cute. I think there's even a guy who really, really likes me. But that happens a lot! [She's very confident about her appearance.]

[shatterings]

I... I know. [ It's just that she does like them being so involved. It's nice. Of course, she'd be hesitant to tell Rise this, because then she'd need to explain why. ]

You have a lot of fans? [ She's in awe, actually. Color her impressed. ]

It... really happens a lot? [ Naminé can't... really imagine people being interested in her like that, despite Ringabel's comments. ]

[dangerousidol]

Oh yeah! This is my Eevee, Himiko! [She looks down at her furry little friend, who gives Naminé a happy little chirp as a greeting.]

Well, yeah! I'm on TV a lot, and I do concerts, signing, hand shake events, commercials, model for magazines... so, all kinds of stuff. That gets me fans~

Yeah... sometimes it's really annoying because really gross guys try to ask me to kiss them or be their girlfriend... [She's gotten good at shooting guys down.]

[shatterings]

Himiko... Hello. I hope you're not mad at me anymore. [ And she gives the little critter a wave and a small smile. ]

That... does sound like a lot to do. [ Rise's getting more and more impressive. She can really do all that--maybe without breaking a sweat? Wow. ]

A-ah... I see.

[Private Video]

[shatterings]

Oh!

[ Unexpected, but she lets out a tiny little laugh. ]

... Hello, Vanille. It's been a while.

[shatterings]

I do?

[ It comes out as honestly surprised. As far as Naminé was concerned, she hadn't done anything of note. She's just... been there. ]

... I'm not sure. Some people I've talked to think it's from a Pokémon... and others think it's a sign of something to come. I think someone would have seen a Pokémon dropping all these feathers, maybe, if it were big enough... but I think they're for something that will come up soon.

[Private Video]

[bylight]

[The screen seems to hover now and moves, making Vanille bounce off of Light to follow it. She bleats excitedly, her wool starting to gather static. Lightning lets out a sigh as she moves off screen.]

Hope, don't let her zap it.

[She comes back a moment later with rubber gloves and a brush.]

If there's one thing Hope has gotten good at, it's his telekinesis. That'll come in handy for you if you need him to hold something for you. He can teach Ellie.

[dangerousidol]

[Himiko chirps again. It's not you! I can't be mad at someone so sweet!]

It takes a lot of hard work, but I get to travel a lot! Oh, and tons of cute clothes!

You learn really quickly how to slap someone effectively!

[Video]

[tearsofademon]

It wouldn't be a Pokemon common to these parts, is all I know. Not really a lot of light green birds around Ecruteak. And Xatu feathers are a lot darker.

[Video]

[shatterings]

And... it must be a fairly large Pokémon.... I think these feathers are almost everywhere.

[capitald]

Perhaps you could comfort her? If she's wary of the feather, then you could always reassure her that it's harmless. They seem like rather smart creatures, so I'm sure she'd understand.

[That's assuming said Chikorita is a girl, of course. The name does sound somewhat feminine.]

[shatterings]

[ In a fifty-fifty chance of being right or wrong, you're wrong, Ringabel. But it's not a big deal--Naminé simply hugs Li closer after she's set the feather down, far enough away. In response, the Chikorita coos softly. ]

... Mm. He... seems to like hugs a lot, at least. I'll just try not to get it too close to him.

[Video]

[tearsofademon]

Yeah, that's what I keep hearing. Large enough to have a lot of them to spare, and some kind of reason to just send them all to the wind like this.

[Video]

[shatterings]

And if no one has seen it... do you think it can mask its presence somehow?

[Video]

[tearsofademon]

Wouldn't surprise me. If it's a kind that isn't usually around here especially, who even knows sometimes what they're all capable of.

[Video]

[unfulfilledstrex]

Oh of course dear, it's not home. I am captive in an environment that I don't find familiar and against my will. To which I conclude it's a cage! We are all prisoners! [Smile.]